Sunday, December 13, 2015
Music on Glass Harp and Glass Armonica
Wasn't that beautiful? There's another instrument, called a glass armonica, that creates a sound like this. Our family learned about glass armonicas when we visited Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, a dozen or so years ago. We were surprised to learn that such beautiful music could be created from glass and moist fingers. It was ethereal.
Benjamin Franklin created the glass armonica by arranging glasses of graduated sizes on a horizontal spindle. Using foot-power to spin the armonica and moist fingertips to touch the rims of the glasses as they spun, he was able to play music. Genius! Below is, again, "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" played by William Zeitler, this time on the armonica.
Enjoy!
I hope you have a restful Sunday.
--Nancy.
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Thank you for sharing these wonderful videos.
ReplyDeleteAmazing! Thank you for sharing. The only thing I've seen similar is people blowing across the tops of bottles filled with different amounts of water but nothing like as musical as the glass harp or harmonica. Sugar Plum Fairy is a lovely piece of music to hear just before Christmas too!
ReplyDeleteThat's a very cool clip! I've seen a armonica before but never heard it played! With the other instruments in the background it sounds almost like an Organ?! It has a very pretty sound! Happy Sunday to you too! cheers!
ReplyDeleteVery very beautiful! Thanks for sharing them!
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